1. Appliances: Without a doubt, hands down the best time to buy a large appliance is Black Friday.

2. Laptops: With Windows 8 on the horizon and many stores adjusting prices as stock reaches close-out status at the very end of October, waiting until November always pays off in a big way.

3. Desktops: The same rule applies to desktops, in addition to the fact that desktop deals are a little more scarce this year as these systems lose their novelty, seeing replacement by laptops and tablets.

4. Winter Coats: By the second week of October most stores have their winter lines in stock and almost ready to roll. Waiting as long as you possibly can (3-4 weeks in the best case) will yield discounts of up to 50% off.

5. Skis/ Skates/Winter Equipment: Shop early, spend more. Stores know the most keen customers are going to buy early no matter what. Although this doesn't apply to a lot of us here in the Bay area. Let these folks go ahead of you in line, and when stores get a little more desperate later in the season, prices will drop across the board.

6. Bed Sheets: Soft goods see just as many discounts as electronics on Black Friday, and if you can hold off until the big day, a whopping 80% off can easily come into play on your favorite bed sheets or towel sets.

7. TVs: I have not ranked this as my #1 do not buy because there are several deals I expect to see very late in October on low-end and higher-end television sets. Mid-end TV's generally don't see too many price drops, and Cyber Monday ushers in price drops that simply don't exist any other time of the year.

8. Video Games: Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Game Stop are known for their video game bundles for every major gaming system at the end of November and in the days leading up to Christmas. I woud absolutely hold off.

9. Cookware: While knife sets typically drop throughout October and there's the odd Rachel Ray or Emeril pot set deal, Cookware sees massive discounts the first week of December. If you need a small appliance like a waffle maker or blender in the fall, I expect a deal, but cookware as a whole is a category to avoid.

10. Christmas Ornaments: Christmas ornaments, supposed faux tree deals and other seasonal selections creep in alongside Halloween costumes toward the end of October, but this does not make it a good time to buy. If you're not messing with any family traditions, waiting until the first or second week of December is accompanied by an additional 25% to 35% in savings.